BACKGROUND: The German army went to great lengths to ensure its personnel were provided with the best in-depth training that was available at the time. The training took many forms and in an attempt to replicate the most realistic combat conditions possible the German army used live fire training exercises and found a one percent training fatality rate as acceptable, reasoning it was better to remove inadequate personnel in training as opposed to having them risk other lives in actual battle. Besides the live field training and exercises the Germans also utilized numerous official training manuals and booklets for all of the specific branches of service within the army. The official army training manuals were authorized and distributed by the H.Dv., Heeresdruckvorschriftenverwaltung, (Army Regulations Administration), under the control of the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), and the OKW, Oberkommando des Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces). Of Note: Besides the official training manuals there were also numerous semi-official and unofficial training booklets with the most famous being the Reibert series of training booklets. These semi-official and unofficial training booklets generally gained the approval of the High Command and were encouraged to stimulate interest in joining the Armed Forces. With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German Army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have it readily available at all times. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Fear of the potential use of chemical warfare agents made the gasmask and canister a constant companion of the German soldier through-out the war. As with any equipment the appropriate training was provided by the army’s, H.Dv.,and included assorted training manuals.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 10cm x 7.5cm. Fold-out with 16 two sided pages.